


Ketchup Packets

by Danii_Girl



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer
Genre: F/M, bestfriend!5sos, bestfriend!ashton, trigger warning anxiety
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-24
Updated: 2015-08-24
Packaged: 2018-04-16 22:27:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4642395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Danii_Girl/pseuds/Danii_Girl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Originally posted on tumblr as CliffordChick</p>
    </blockquote>





	Ketchup Packets

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr as CliffordChick

You met Ashton three years ago during your high school orientation and ever since then the two of you have been attached at the hip. Since the two of you were in the same grade you often had the same classes during the day, which translated to you playing tutor to Ashton. You weren’t complaining though; Ashton was a good friend, the best one you’d ever had that’s for sure. 

Ever since Ashton got his license the year he turned sixteen the two of you had made it a tradition to stop at In n Out on Fridays. It started as a way to get Ashton off of his health kick but it soon became a tradition. The two of you planning your Friday plans around the weekly trip just so you didn’t have to cancel. Even if one of you was sick you’d still get In n Out, you’d just eat it at home instead of in the dining area. 

Usually you were eager to meet Ashton after school and drive down to the fast food joint, but today wasn’t a typical day. You had just spent the last fifteen minutes of English class giving an oral presentation, something you loathed doing. It wasn’t that you didn’t like talking, because you did, but talking in front of all those people put you on edge. And no amount of encouragement from your extroverted best friend was going to change your mood. 

That was an hour ago and your nerves still hadn’t calmed down. In fact, it felt as if your agitation was only getting worse. Your heart beating in rhythm with the negative thoughts nagging at your mind. Even your hands were shaking which Ashton took notice of when you tried to pay for your meal. 

“Why are your hands shaking?” Ashton asked when the two of you were in the safety of your booth. The same booth you’d been eating at for a little over two years now. 

“It’s probably just like adrenaline from early or something,” you said, shrugging it off. 

You knew exactly why your hands were still shaking. It was the same reason why your heart was still racing even though the presentation was over. Your anxiety had yet to subside and being in another social environment was not helping matters. But you couldn’t tell Ashton this. For one, he didn’t know you even had anxiety problems. You never thought it was important to mention when you first started getting to know each other and if you brought it up now it would be awkward, like you’d been keeping a secret from him. Plus, if you told him you were uncomfortable in social situations your In n Out tradition might end and that’s the last thing you wanted to happen. 

Thankfully, Ashton didn’t press the issue any farther, the two of you going back to a light conversation while waiting for your order to be ready. When your number was called it was Ashton who went to retrieve it. When he returned he placed your hamburger in front of you, leaving his protein style burger on the tray since it was messier. In the middle sat the fries the two of you were going to share and a small cup of ketchup. Ashton dove right in, making his usual comments about how much better the burger was without the calories of the bread. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes, everyone knew the toasted bun was the best thing about In n Out. 

Everything was fine until you went to grab a handful of fries. It was only then did you realize that Ashton had forgotten to grab you ketchup packets like you had asked and instead just got the cup of ketchup. 

“Can you go ask for ketchup packets? I can’t drizzle the ketchup over the fries like I like to with this,” you said, gesturing to the tiny paper cup of ketchup. 

“Can you do it?” he asked. “My hands are all dirty and there’s no point in washing them only for them to get dirty again.” 

“Oh, that’s okay, I’ll just dip them in like you do,” you said, dropping your head so Ashton couldn’t see your pout. You grabbed a few fries, dipping them into the ketchup only to make an awful face when you realized you had put to much ketchup on them. 

Ashton chuckled at your crinkled face. “Just go up there an ask for the packets. Look, no one’s even in line.” 

“No, its fine.” You took another handful of fries, making the same mistake of dipping them too far into the ketchup. 

“You keep putting too much ketchup on, you’re ruining your favorite part of In n Out,” he said, knowing that you loved their fries for some odd reason. 

“No, I’m not,” you said, shaking your head. This time you made sure to only briefly dip the fry into the ketchup, saving your taste buds from the overwhelming tomato taste. 

“Just go ask.” 

“I can’t,” you said, jaw clenched. 

“What do you mean you can’t? You just have to ask the cashier.” 

“I can’t, okay!” you said sternly. 

Your new tone in voice gave Ashton the hint he needed to back off. Unfortunately for you the hint came too late and you were already too upset to be consoled. You weren’t even hungry any more as the familiar knot began forming in the pit of your stomach. You were going to cry if you didn’t get out of there. Instead of asking Ashton to take you home — and interrupting his lunch — you asked for the keys to his car, claiming you had a massive headache coming on and needed to go lie down. 

Thankfully Ashton gave you the car keys without a second of hesitation. That’s how you ended up in the passenger seat of Ashton’s car, head against the glass feeling numb. It had been a long day and the situation that just went down wasn’t helping matters. It was moments like this that it would be nice if Ashton actually knew the struggle that went on within your own head. 

It didn’t take long for Ashton to finish his lunch, reappearing no more than five minutes later with a tap on the glass. You hesitated for a moment, not wanting to let him see you in your anxiety ridden state but this was his car. The sooner he got in the sooner you would be at home in your room. 

The drive back to your parent’s house was quiet which you were grateful for. The last thing you wanted to do right now was get into it with Ashton again. It was bad enough he upset you the first time. Of course, when Ashton pulled into your driveway though he wanted to talk. 

“Can we talk about what happened back there?” 

“I’d rather not,” you sniffled. 

“Y/N I’m sorry I upset you I didn’t mean too. I hate seeing you upset especially when it’s my fault but if you don’t tell me what upset you I can’t make sure it won’t happen again.” 

“Its stupid.”

“It’s not stupid love,” Ashton reassured you. “Now come on, what happened back there.” 

“I’m just overwhelmed.”

“With?” 

“With everything, I don’t know,” you whined. 

“Was it ‘cause I didn’t go get the ketchup for you? I know your shy but I didn’t think it was a big deal. I’m sorry.” 

“That’s the thing Ash, you don’t think,” you said. “You don’t get it. I can’t just walk up to people and ask them for things. I can’t just give flawless presentations in front of the class like you can. I can’t.”

“Hey,” he said, softening his tone realizing I was getting upset. “It’s okay you can’t do those thing. You’re just shy I know that.”

“I’m not just shy,” you cried. “I have a problem. I can’t do those thing because I don’t want to, I can’t do them because I physically can’t do them. The thought of having to go ask for ketchup makes me want to vomit. It sounds stupid but my body goes into panic mode.”

For the first time you were being completely candid with someone about your feelings. The words spewing out of your mouth liked they’d been on the tip of your tongue for ages. You knew you had a problem but hearing yourself say it out loud almost felt reassuring, in a weird way. 

“Y/N,” Ashton whispered, his usually toothy expression gone in exchange for a frown. He reached for you, tugging you over the center console and into his lap. Ashton and you were strictly platonic friends but it wasn’t unusual for the two of you to cuddle like this, especially when one of you was having a total breakdown. “I had no idea love. I’m so sorry.”

“There’s something wrong with me,” you mumbled, your words being muffled by Ashton’s chest. 

“It’s nothing that we can’t fix,” he reassured you again. “Do your parents know about all of this?” You shook your head. There was no way you could tell your parents that their only child wasn’t the superstar they expected her to be. “Do you think you could tell them? I think it might help. Maybe you could go see someone about this.” 

“I don’t know.” 

“I understand. How about we get you inside, we can watch one of those chick flicks your always trying to get me to watch, yeah? Maybe after you can talk to your mom at least. I’ll stay with you if you want.” 

“I guess.” 

“You’re not alone in this world Y/N. Everyone’s got something a little off about them.” 

“I know.” 

“Good, and don’t worry next time we go out I’ll make sure to get your ketchup packets as soon as we order, promise.” 


End file.
